Journalists write "knowingly" on the situation in Israel without ever living here; without first hand knowledge of what it means to live in this tiny country in the midst of a rather unfriendly neighbourhood.
I write without vengeance, without hatred, just what I experience,the view from my veranda and the thoughts in my head.
My archive is available at www.lingomatics.com/Shabbatshalom/index.html

About Me

I am a freelance journalist living in Jerusalem. I strive to tell the truth as it is never seen in the media - the life of one Israeli trying to get along with everyone but not willing to deny her past nor her identity.

Friday, 28 April 2017

I just finished preparing the challah dough, setting the table for
Shabbat and I heard it, the roar of jet planes overhead, swooping and diving,
in perfect formations, four at a time. No we aren't at war, as far as I know,
the incredible pilots of the Israeli Air Force are rehearsing their aerobatics
for Independence Day! Red Arrows eat your heart out!!!! Gosh it makes me proud.

As I said, we never know when war is imminent or it is all chest thumping rhetoric for show, for us to think our
leaders are much more powerful than they really are. In truth we have no idea
what goes on behind the scenes; who tells who to make a fuss about what. Russia
seems to be on the side of Iran and Syria but immediately following an Israeli
diplomatic visit to Russia we bombed the Syrian airfield which just happened to
contain weaponry – a veritable chemical arsenal. The following statement was
issued – Israel didn't bomb and Syria doesn't have chemical weapons!!!! Within
this tangle of lies and half truths the left wing newspapers blame it all on Mr
Trump!! Really? The war in Syria didn't exist before his term of office and
nearly 500,000 died prior to The Donald? Aw, c'mon!

French intelligence clearly stated that the Assad regime carried out a Sarin attack on the 4th
of April, so no denials or claims Assad is a mere bystander carry water. We
have an evil regime on our doorstep and few are going to the aid of the people
caught in the horror. Israel is doing all she can in the IDF field hospital on
the border and in Zvi Hospital in Sfat– in fact that field hospital reported
that patients were suffering from clear chemical burns as much as 2 years ago!

Mr Trump has a visit to Israel (and the PA) planned for May 22nd. As yet it hasn't been
officially announced, but the itinerary is finalized and the King David Hotel
is probably moving guests as we speak (when American Presidents visit the hotel
is basically cleared of its guests to accommodate the Presidential entourage
and security). He will visit all the usual holy and traditional places and will
travel straight from the Western Wall to Ramallah, somewhat symbolic maybe? We
don't expect anything. Israelis are tired of broken promises and "United
Jerusalem" statements which are not honoured.

The parents of the teenager who wreaked havoc and caused enormous fear in the United States Jewish
communities and billions of dollars in increased security by those who protect
them, claim he is both autistic and has a brain tumour which caused his behavior.
They claim he is a genius who does not understand the bounds of normative,
civil behavior. Perhaps it's true but how has he gone so long without being
diagnose with anti-social tendencies. Maybe they simply never took
responsibility? The United States is rightly asking for his extradition – he is
an American citizen. I also believe that all those who blames President Trump
for the increase in anti-Semitic behavior as expressed in those JCC and synagogue
threats should apologise. David Horovitz interviewed the parents in this
excellent editorial http://www.timesofisrael.com/forgive-us-we-did-not-know-forgive-him-he-does-not-understand/

Yom HaShoah passed with great ceremony and huge respect for the past. The involvement of Survivors becomes
more and more important as the age and their personal stories die with them.
Yad Vashem and the Steven Spielberg Foundation have done more than any other bodies
to ensure their stories do not die but are told to this and future generations.
If we cannot learn from the past then our society is lost. The achievements of
Israel came from the bravery of those who fought and survived to come HOME.

This coming week we learn
yet again of the resilience and determination of the Israeli people. We begin
with the profound sadness of Remembrance Day, today the numbers include those
lost to terror as well as those who died fighting to protect this tiny country.
We begin with the wail of the siren as dusk on Sunday night and continue
through the day, another siren and silence at 11:00 on Monday morning.
Ceremonies begin at the Western Wall and continue in a constant flow of
mourners to the beautiful military cemetery on Mount Herzl. Here Remembrance
Day is not a reason for sales in the stores, it is a time of deep contemplation
and gratitude to those who fell and those who remain. The faces and names of
those who fell before and after the founding of Israel, each and every one, in
a parade of honour on the national television station. We truly honour our
fallen, we know that we owe them our existence.

At sunset on Monday, after the military parades and sad songs on Mount Herzl, the changing
of the guard takes place and the joy of Independence Day begins. Choirs, songs,
dancers and the lighting of beacons by 12 exceptional people, emotions change
very quickly here as we go from mourning to parties all over the country –
ecology takes a back seat for one day as barbeques smoke in every square meter
of park!!!!

Today is different for us, for our family. Today we are holding the memorial ceremony for Zvi's incredible parents.
Kalman and Alla Raviv, if we lived in any other country we would call them
refugees, for they certainly fled their native Poland. Alla came in 1934, when
her parents understood that she could not study her chosen subjects (if at all)
in Poland because she was Jewish, and chose to send her to the nascent State
and the newly formed Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Kalman came when the
former Mayor of Ramat Gan, Krinitzy, went to Poland to find strong young people
to come to the Holy Land. Both were the only survivors of their families, both
struggled with unbearable poverty, both were members of the Hagana, they fell
in love and taught their eldest son a deep love and respect for his country,
his people and teaching others about both. We will congregate with family and
friends in the beautiful area set aside for Yekirot Yerushalyim – the Chosen of
Jerusalem – where Mayors of this City and Naftali Herz
Imber, lyricist of Hatikva are buried. Zvi will
recite the traditional prayers, and will recite the Kaddish, the prayer of mourning.
We will all come back to our home for a traditional Shabbat meal.

Did you notice how many times tradition is mentioned? Not by accident. It is irrelevant whether you are
religious or secular, showing your children the rites and traditions that you
were taught by your parents brings our religion, indeed any religion, alive.

I need to go because the challot came out of the
oven and the rest of the meal need to be set out on the table for when we
return.

We love it when visitors come. This week we had Samuel Bettsak, Cristine and Barry Slawsky and
friends, we visited Norman and Lola Cohen with Canon Andrew White and Hanna
Ishaq, and she gave me her phenomenal shortcake recipe! Zvi and the excellent
Hakol Yachassi Choir sang at the closing ceremony of Holocaust Memorial Day at
the Ghetto Fighters Kibbutz, which all agreed was the most emotional experience
– indeed one choir member said that in all her years in Israel Hatikva meant
more that night than any other.

At every concert of Yaakov Shwekey in Israel he gives hundreds of seats to soldiers of the IDF. Here he
sings a special blessing for the brave soldiers of the IDF. May they be blessed
and may G-d protect them https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suKZK8O_x2s

How can I end this missive without Hatikva?
Well of course I won't! My choice of rendition may seem strange but, when I was
searching and found this video of 30,000 Israelis singing at the beginning of a
football match against Wales I couldn't resist. To my amazement it brought
tears to my eyes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtqAFP5E1b8

I will try to talk to you before Yom ha Zikaron. In
the meantime I send love from Jerusalem.

Friday, 21 April 2017

Shabbat
Shalom dear friends. I hope your Pesach, Paschah, Easter went smoothly and that
your home has returned to normal.

Marwan
Bargouti
is in an Israeli prison for acts of terror, he receives more than the rights
demanded by the Geneva Convention and he has completed his PhD while
incarcerated. He is a murderer and was convicted on 12 out of 33 counts of
murder, including the my son-in-laws Aunt, Yaela Hen, in January 2002. Bargouti
is a former leader of the Al Aqsa Brigade and a senior member of the Tanzim –
the military arm of the Fatah movement – a terrorist of the highest level.
Despite all of the above the New York Times chose to publish an op-ed by
Bargouti, sanitizing his identity as a Palestinian parliamentarian, stating his
intended hunger strike. The NYT claimed he was a political prisoner, not a
terrorist, therefore eligible for publication. Of all the weak and disgusting
excuses for publication I have ever heard that beats them all. The New York Times
chose to publish the clever rhetoric of a terrorist and ignore his racist
murderous past. Of course it is not the first time the NYT has carefully chosen
its coverage of the murder of Jews "Reporting on the Times" was a
documentary produced in 2012 https://vimeo.com/34566570
. Sultzberger, the owner/editor of the NYT at the time intentionally hid
Holocaust stories on middle pages claiming he was not like the poor Eastern
European Jews being affected.

Israeli
Holocaust Memorial Day begins on Monday night. It is a day of mourning and
contemplation, especially since the recent revealing of the relevant papers
showing that it could have been stopped. The NYT was not the only body to hide
the truth from the people, thus causing the horror and slaughter to continue.

This
BBC history account of Sir Winston Churchill's sympathies for the Jews and his
attempts to save the European Jews is both fascinating and deeply important http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/genocide/churchill_holocaust_01.shtml Sadly Sir Winston's plan was not accepted –
indeed US Assistant Secretary of War John McCloy strongly advised against it
and the plan was never carried out.

Richard
Dimbelby
was an exceptional reporter. In the days when the BBC told the truth he was a
supreme truth-teller and his report of entering Bergen Belsen was conceivably the
most emotive and factual of all reports https://youtu.be/VP9BLKZENbc

The
ceremony at Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial is exceptional, broadcast on
all television stations; Members of Knesset read out the names of their family
who perished; the movie channels show films of the Holocaust; all other
stations show testimonies of survivors; restaurants and places of entertainment
are closed on the eve of Yom HaShoah and Israel becomes a country in mourning. It would do us well to remember that many of
our enemies use Mein Kampf as their textbook. Since todays anti-Israel rhetoric
is all too familiar, fueled by the lies taught from kindergarten in many Moslem
countries where Mein Kampf is number one on the bestsellers list, the next
paragraph makes important reading.

I am
very proud to be a member of the board of IMPACT-SE (www.impact-se.org) and our work has become even more relevant
since the recent UNWRA report on Palestinian textbooks. The basis of Impacts
academic research is tolerance and respect for the other in school textbooks
from countries as varied as Iran and Israel (both secular and Haredi
schoolbooks), the PA, including Hamas and most surprisingly Arab Jerusalem, a
result of an agreement after 1967 that the textbooks in East Jerusalem would
remain as those when Jordan occupied the area – now changed to Hamas textbooks.
Impact CEO Marcus Sheff has reported to British and US Foreign Affairs
committees giving essential information which forces UN bodies such as UNWRA to
rethink their policies concerning education in their schools. To read the
reports and methodology go to http://www.impact-se.org/methodology/

The
other news in short

Recep
Tayyip Erdogan
went to the people and has given himself enormous powers ensuring the death of
Ataturks dreams for a modern, tolerant Turkey

Theresa
May,
Britains Prime Minister has called for elections on June 8 to consolidate her
position in the country as the Labour Party under the extreme left-wing
leadership of Jeremy Corbyn loses members of his own party.

British
politicians
calling for revoke UK citizenship of Asma Assad for support of husbands cruel
murderous regime

President
Reuven Rivlin met with
both Catholic and Greek Orthodox leaders to address the plight of Christians in
the Middle East.

For some unknown reason the Mayor of Tel Aviv decided to take the opening of convenience stores on Shabbat to court
in Tel Aviv – and the decision was to keep them open. Why to court? I cannot
think other than a publicity stunt. The corner shops are open anyway, no change
in the status quo was intended, and despite one rather idiotic comment – this is
an amazing democracy – but a JEWISH democracy – and the deeply secular David
Ben Gurion understood the need for basic Jewish principles – after all we gave
the world the day of rest for a very good reason! The law doesn't change Israel
from a democracy to a theocracy or vice versa. Gosh I get cross with the
attitude of being Israeli not Jewish.

Good
Friday, Easter Sunday, Pesach, Passover, have all been and gone. The church bells
of Jerusalem rang out clear and loud, calling the congregants to prayer, as
they walked to church in freedom. Pilgrims flooded the Old City, enjoying
unusually balmy weather. The restaurants that opened were filled with
surprising Passover concoctions yet again proving that good food and
interesting menus are not harmed, indeed are enhanced by Kosher food.

Every
year, as Passover ends I face a challenge to my memory – as do most Jewish
households – "Where on earth did all those dishes come from; where do they
belong and why am I left with an empty cupboard at the end"!!! You see
Jews change dishes and pots for Passover, making everything new and special,
this in itself is a challenge but, am the
only one who can't remember which is what and where? Anyway that is over, life
has returned to normal or as close as possible to normal in our household! The
multitude of spontaneous guests has slowed down and we are back to our usual
insane pace.

On Wednesday we had the Board
meeting for Impact-se at the Hebrew University office. The people involved stand a head and shoulders above me and it is
such a privilege to be included in their midst to learn from them. As described
above the work is becoming more and more relevant and as the individual terror attacks
increase we recognise the need to change the textbooks of hate to some form of
tolerance.

Yesterday lunchtime Haim Elimelech Slawsky took me to lunch at the King David. Chaim Elimelech is a baby and a
gorgeous one at that, but even his charm couldn't improve the unusually
dreadful service although his parents and company ensured a lovely lunch in the
perfect setting of the veranda overlooking the Old City. The weather was ideal,
the company excellent and the special beauty of the King David won us over.

After lunch I raced home to prepare the Shabbes table for tonight and then back to the King
David to meet with Canon Andrew White,
or as he calls it Dave's Caff, together with Norman and Lola Cohen, Hanna
Ishaq, Rabbi Naftali and Andrew's helpmeet Patrick. The service didn't improve
in the few hours since our last meal but again the company was excellent. Canon
Andrew's life is very serious, his mission to save the world through kindness
and love with a firm hand is serious, his illness is serious, so I always try
to make him laugh – and usually succeed!! As always he starts with gefilte
fish, lots of gefilte fish then we all eat fish and chips – honestly!! The
conversation flew from Baghdad to Syria to toilet paper to his Jordanian projects
for Iraqi refugees and finally back to toilet paper! It must be said that
toilet paper was the joke part but for those less you we remembered the really
rough kind and using orange wrappers because my grandparents refuse to use
newspaper!!!!!

This morning my lovely friend Batsheva is coming from Tel Aviv for a day together. After collecting her from
the Central Bus Station we will go to collect Yosef from school, drive to Givat
Zeev and spend time with Rachel before the aroma of baking Challot drives us
crazy and we take our booty (little challot for all our guests) kiss the
children and Rachel and drive over my favourite panorama from atop Samuels Tomb
to show Batsheva the incredible white puzzle that makes up Jerusalem. We will
then spend the day just remembering why we care so deeply for each other – from
the veranda still ablaze with colour.

Sadly Canon Andrew cannot come tonight because
while his speech has vastly improved the lack of visa and security clearance
meant he waited too long to get to Baghdad for his stem cell treatment and he
needs to go back before his legs will take him where he wants.

Tonight the Slawsky's and our wonderful friend
Samuel Bettsak come for supper together with Millie, Gail and Shmuel. The menu
will include rice because Cristine and her sister, in true Phillipine
tradition, eat rice at all times of the day. I hope they like my stuffed
vegetables – lots of rice in there. We will start with "orange" soup
(pumpkin, leek, carrot and courgette) and then beautiful fresh salmon, herbed rice
stuffed peppers, courgette salad, roasted aubergines, green salad, chopped
salad, home pickled cucumber salad and Gail is bringing dessert. Of course Zvi
will sing Kiddush, gosh I love it when he sings, and we will have Rachels
Challa for the blessing over bread. I am excited to see Chaim Elimelech's
reaction to the candle lighting…………..

Sorry I seem to have gone on a bit! Seriously time
for music and I will write to you a short note before Yom haShoah.

Friday, 14 April 2017

Last
evening in Jerusalem we were visiting friends when Rachel called me to switch
on the television. "The Americans have bombed ISIS in Afghanistan"

The
description of "The Mother of all Bombs" immediately suggests
that the United States was attacking in a vacuum, exhibiting her might rather
than responding to many years of ultimate tyranny, terror and oppression which
was escalating with greater and greater confidence worldwide. A response was
essential. The time has passed for negotiation, our lives depend upon it.

We
always wonder "What if Hitler had died in the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich
in 1923, had never been arrested, written Mein Kampf in Landsburg Prison and
the Holocaust had not happened" Well he wasn't and it did. The fundamentalist
groups use the same methods. Jail is a recruiting ground and university of
terror, it doesn't work. War is not pretty, war is cruel and deadly but had we
not bombed Essen the first language of Europe would be German and the remaining
Jews, homosexuals, Catholics and disabled would have disappeared. I know you
feel I am exaggerating and the comparison may be inappropriate but I repeat,
war is not pretty so don't expect ISIS, Al Qaeeda, Daish by any other name, to
disappear without bloodshed. The terror attacks may increase as a result of the
Afghanistan bombing, but it will be from a position of fearful defence rather
than from a position of power.

We
tried jaw, jaw, jaw and sadly it didn't work.

The
question is whether this was a simple strike against ISIS or whether it
constituted an implied warning to both North Korea and Iran. Speak softly and
carry a big stick?

The
Individual Intifada is not limited to Israel, has spread like a horrific
wildfire through Europe and the UK, Venezuela is fast become an Islamic State
and a direct threat to the USA. We have to root out the cause although too many
years of diplomacy have created a groundswell of fanatical youth, ready to die
for a cause that the West does not understand. It puts the Crusades into the shade.
The great sadness is that the vast majority of Moslems simply want to get on
with life, just as you and me, and their lives are embittered no less than ours
by the omnipresent threat.

That
was lengthier than I intended. I believe in tolerance and love, a child of the
'60's, but anyone who thinks this will go away without the Supreme Commander
ordering "The Mother of All Bombs" is dreaming. The bud wasn't nipped
so the root must be removed, drawn from the earth.

Sadly
the heinous crime perpetrated by Bassar Al Assad on his own people
was overshadowed by the words of Sean Spicer. He obviously referred to the use
of chemical weapons as a dreadful thing but his statement that "even
Hitler didn't use" was inappropriate at best and cruel at worst. It is
also of interest that nobody has alluded to the American use of Agent Orange in
Vietnam. http://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/11/politics/sean-spicer-hitler-assad-gas-chemical-weapons/

Fake
news
is the topic of Rabbi Jeremy Rosens article this week. His example is from the
NY Times which claims that Israel's "Wall" doesn't work. Of course it
was a dig at President Trump's intention to build a wall between the USA and
Mexico. Firstly the comparison is ludicrous, secondly the American wall is
mostly built already, much during the last administration, and of course the
Israeli defensive fence works! Simple things like car theft are down by 85%,
terror attacks by 95% (the individual attacks are from Israeli Arabs from Tsur
Bacher and such areas) and it is a fence on some 90% of the length and a wall
only in situations where sniper fire was killing Israelis! In one short article
the NYT succeeded in twisting a non-news into a criticism of the President. I
happen to disagree with the necessity of the wall with Mexico unless it goes
together with an amnesty for those "illegals" already in the USA and do
not present any security threat whatsoever.

I
have been accused of being a Trumpite. Believe you me I am not, I do not have the
right to be for or against any American leader; I refuse to criticise every
move because he is not sophisticated or diplomatic. Perhaps it is time for
crude and rude- the message is clearer.

Lucy
Aharish is a top journalist in the Israel national TV channel. Lucy is an Arab
Israeli – sorry Lucy is an Israeli Arab and a proud Moslem. Here Lucy speaks
out clearly and bravely. Kol ha Kavod Lucy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV7WcW2H8ic

Pesach
is almost over!
All that work and it is nearly time to return the dishes to their boxes and
schlepp them to their resting place 3 floors down on the allotted shelves in
the storage. However I found this wonderful article about a Jerusalem bus
driver, an Arab, who decided to give his Haredi passengers a lovely Passover
surprise last week. I love it – you won't believe what he did! http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4948382,00.html

Huge
cauldrons (minus witches) are the incredible pre-Passover sight in the
religious neighbourhoods. They stand on each corner ready to receive the dishes
of the local households for dipping to purify them so they can be used at
Passover. A variety of items are left beside rubbish bins in a manner that
makes the NYC street pickings fade into oblivion. Houses were cleaned, unused
items placed outside, kitchens "wrapped" in specially strong silver
foil (don't know where that came from) and cooking began.

I don't
line my kitchen with foil, I simply scrub the very existence out of every
surface and splashback!!!!

I had a
very special treat this week. We went to a lovely get-together of my family in
celebration of my cousin Judith's 70th birthday. We met at Debbie
and Zev's in Ganei Tikvah and the excitement at seeing each other was tangible.
Of course the best part is that my cousin Irene (Debbie, Judith and Joanna's
Mum) was in Israel for Pesach and at 90+ is still as quick witted and bright as
she ever was. Actually I discovered something new about her – she has a
wonderful singing voice untainted by age. Zvi sang his heart out, happy to be
seated next to Debbie whose voice delighted him. Sunita http://www.sunitaharp.com/ , an
accomplished harpist entertained us with a marvellous selection of music, from
classic to bolero, from gentle to robust, from Bach to Welsh (there's lovely
Dai bach) music. We sang, because that's
what we love to do, we grinned at each other in delight at being together and
caught up on our news. Of the cousins present 3 made Aliya and one (Ian and his
lovely wife Susan) have an apartment here. My Daddy and his big brother and
best friend Uncle Ben, would be proud. It was a change for Zvi since we spend a
lot of time with his family but we both decided that it was so lovely we must
do it more often!!!

The
veranda complied with all my dreams this week. The tiny orange tree was in full
blossom, laden with tiny fragrant blooms, their scent wafting into the apartment;
the freesias shone bright orange their heady scent joining that of the orange
blossom. I sat on the veranda each morning, sipping my morning coffee and
taking in the amazing scene before me. Gosh we are lucky! It is especially
spectacular over Shabbat and festivals because the scene is peaceful, the weekday
chaotic traffic and hustle and bustle quietens and the beauty becomes more apparent.

Amiad
and Noga stayed over after Seder Night. It seemed a shame to return home when
they were coming back for lunch with all the family. The little ones (Ella 4
and Yonatan 2) were very excited and after the long service of the Seder fell
into bed and straight to sleep. The next morning I sat out on the veranda with
my morning coffee when a little girl cameinto sight, a big grin on her face.
After the essential good morning hug she looked up at me, shaking with
excitement and asked "Safta, can we play together"? I melted! Her
little brother soon followed with the biggest grin imaginable. Yonatans
vocabulary is phenomenal – I wish half the adults knew to speak as he does!

This
has been a fantastic week for Israeli children. So many activities we are
spoiled for choice. Many Israelis go camping, simple at Pesach. The weather
hasn't really complied with their needs, torrential rains in the south and rain
in the north, but mostly fun was had by all.

We have
entertained and been entertained, enjoyed friends (thank you Hel-Ors and Alberanes) and family
and in a few minutes, when I finish talking to you, I will set off for Givat
Zeev and Rachel's home. Obviously no Challot this week! I will smile at
Rachel's kitchen which looks like it should be in NASA rather than Givat
Zeev!!! I will pass Nebe Samuel
(Samuel's Tomb); smile at the harbinger of spring at the side of the road, a
camel which comes out to graze in the finer weather; pass the busy shopping
centre and perhaps pop in to get a nice plant for friends; turn in to Givat
Zeev and pull up at Rachel's gate. I can already see them racing down the steps
to greet me………. Sheer joy.

OK that
was a little too maudlin for human consumption, but I missed them this week!

Modeh
Ani
– I Give Thanks - the morning prayer to thank the Almighty for returning our
souls after sleep. So beautiful. We must always be grateful for what we have
rather than moaning about what we haven't. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lPK6V3Y6YQ

Friday, 7 April 2017

In
2013 President Obama
said that if the Syrian regime used chemical weapons he would respond swiftly
and firmly. Two days ago the Assad regime bombed the town of Idlib with Sarin,
a deadly gas which caused children to foam at the mouth, seize and have great
difficulty breathing. Assad denied using Sarin despite the autopsy results on
those who died. It is not the first time Sarin has been used in this horrific
civil war – patients who were treated at the IDF field hospital on the border
were found to suffer from Sarin poisoning. At least a 100 died in that attack.
In April 2017, the day after the horrific attack, President Trump ordered
the bombing of the airfield from whence the Syrian aeroplanes left on their
deadly mission. Swift and righteous punishment. http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/06/us-military-has-launched-more-50-than-missiles-aimed-at-syria-nbc-news.html

After the
deaths of 500,000 Syrian citizens, many by the cruel regime of Assad, Russia intends
putting forward a motion at the UNHRC against the USA for their gross
indifference for human life for bombing the airfield!!!

Hosni
Mubarak was a tyrant.
Zvi and I learned the extent through Azzam Azzam who was imprisoned on a
pretext in Egypt by Mubaraks regime. Hosni Mubarak was able to frighten his
neighbours sufficiently to keep some form of order in this region. Mubarak was
abandoned by his Western allies leaving chaos in his wake and a Moslem
Brotherhood President. When Al Sisi deposed the "democratically
elected" President Morsi he was ignored by the previous US administration.
Understanding that the two unquestionably antidemocratic leaders are the only
way forward President Trump invited both Al Sisi and King Abdullah of Jordan
for a parley in Washington on how to deal with the currently even more volatile
Middle East. One cannot ignore the
situation any longer, it must be addressed. Politics are not pretty, pragmatism
and a show of strength are the sole winners.

Dumisani
Washington,
an American Pastor said "From
North Korea to Syria to Iran to China to Russia...to Boko Haram to ISIS to Al
Qaeda to Al Shabaab to Hezbollah to the Muslim Brotherhood...to Nigeria to
Yemen to Libya...to the UNSC the UNHRC, UNESCO and UNWRA...we've witnessed 8
years of appeasement and indecision, and the slaughtering that always comes
with it. While military intervention will not be the answer to the vast
majority of these situations, vain threats, fake red lines, and ransom payments
to terrorists are clearly not the answer"

It would appear that the weapon of choice for
terror is the humble family car. What kind of insanity can cause a normative
human being to take his car and intentionally ram other human beings? Last week
was London, this week Jerusalem. Sgt. Elhai
Teharlev z"l was standing with his friend at a
regular bus stop when a car mowed into them, killing Elhai and injuring his
friend. Elhai, always smiling, the middle son of 7 children, was killed
instantly. Insanity. May his sweet soul rest in peace.

Sadly we see the effect of teaching children to
hate every day and everywhere. To understand its implications and methodology,
please see the webpage of Impact-se, an important research facility, based at
the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, which researches and teaches about
tolerance in education and its lack thereof. Head of Research Prof. Eldad
Pardo and the Director Marcus Sheff recently presented their
findings to senior USA politicians. I am proud to sit on the Board beside such
people http://www.impact-se.org/

Not all is sad and not all is bad.

Rasha Atamny, Israeli,
Moslem, is the first female Arab diplomat for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. There have been many males but Rasha is a first.

“I listened to the speeches from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran,
Iraq, and Egypt condemning Israel’s systematic violations of women’s rights’
while I, an Arab-Muslim woman of Palestinian origin represents Israel at the UN
General Assembly,” she said. “That day at the UN, which made me desperately
disappointed, pushed me to take the matter into my own hands. I believe in
peace because I believe that people can make a positive difference in the
world, and I want to be part of the change. So I started by choosing to join
the Foreign Ministry cadets course.” Brava Rasha. http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-appoints-its-first-female-muslim-diplomat/

This week the Jerusalem Press Club organised a
fascinating talk and tour of Jerusalem's Haredi Community. We are quick to
criticise, and my criticism is genuine, of their predominant refusal to defend
our country, but we often forget or ignore the enormous contribution of Haredi
organisations to the general population. Magen David Adom has many religious
volunteers; Zaka continues it's blessed work all over the world; the Gemach
(giving to those who have not) is a Haredi principle; and so many other that I
want to tell you about.

We began our tour at the central command of Hatzala.
Hatzala operates worldwide but the origin is here in Jerusalem. 100% volunteers
their vehicles are the first responders with a 3 minute response time. Trained
responders, religious, secular, Druze, Christian and Moslem, have a special app
which tells them of any situation in their close vicinity, from a child choking
to a terror attack. They do not ask name or religion, there is no charge and
they operate in the PA too. In fact they were the responders to my
grand-daughters school bus accident a few months ago, for which I will be ever
grateful.

From there we went to the Tikvah Fund – a brilliant
organisation whose work is to integrate the Haredi Community into the general
society without losing their identity or religious integrity. The explanation
was given by Yehoshua Pfeffer, Yeshiva scholar who while a father and a teacher
who was accepted to study law at the Hebrew University (no mean task even for
those with regular education) and is now both writing his doctoral thesis while
a member of the Rabinical Court of Appeal.

We
crossed the road to Meir Panim.
Meir Panim feeds the poor, simply and elegantly. They set it up as a restaurant
and no-one is turned away. Good wholesome food, a smile and welcome. Again
volunteers every one.

Finally after walking through the Haredi
neighbourhood of Geula and its teeming streets (pre-Pesach) we were welcomed
with great warmth by Rabbi Miller and his wife. We sat out on the veranda
because the apartment was already cleaned for Passover, and were presented with
a traditional feast of 3 types of Kugel (Potato, Jerusalem and sweet apple and
cinnamon) stuffed vegetables, chicken soup with kreplach (kind of Jewish
ravioli!) and the story of the Millers who came from Gateshead in the UK.
Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the day was seeing it all through the
eyes of my friend Leo Mao, a Chinese journalist for whom it is all new and
fascinating.

There is a misconception that all Haredim are
the same! Oh boy, you couldn't be more wrong! The easiest way to define it is
through the headgear – in fact let's start with Jewish headgear from secular
through to ultra-orthodox. White silk kippa (skullcap) is for those who wear it
once or twice a year; knitted kippa is for traditional Jews but with sub-groups
(white knitted, coloured knitted, tiny over the left ear, medium size to cover
a bald patch, huge so it will never fly in the wind) then we get to black knitted,
silk and velvet and so to hats. Fedora, large black hats on the back of the
head with the black kippa showing, tall shtreimels (fur Cossack-like hats,
short shreimels, wide and flowing ones – indeed it all depends upon the
birthplace of your chosen Rabbi or his sub-sect.

The tour was a huge eye opener, the joy of
those who live in apparent poverty may come from the fact that they are among
the largest percentage of individual donors to charity in Israel.

Pesach. The sense of purity and cleanliness of
the entire house makes it all worthwhile. Everybody moans. Above the heavy
scent of bleach and household cleaners one hears the cry "There's no food
in the house" as we clear out the old before bringing in the new and
different. I already did most of the shopping, almost all the cupboards already
have the "Pesach" sign up on them to remind me what is done and
changed and what is yet to happen. I love it!! My hands are red and raw but I
don't care – it is all for a very important purpose TRADITION. On Sunday I will
start to cook and on Monday night we will celebrate the Seder. I can't wait to
see the faces of Ella (4) and Yonatan (2) as they hear the story and say the 4
questions; I remember our joy as Tomer did Ma nishtana the very first time when
he was 4;